Zangief Guide - Move List and Best Tips
Zangief is a playable character in Street Fighter 6. An iconic figure that has been around since the second entry, this World Warrior has always been feared for his devastating command grabs. If you want to learn about his move list and some tips, you have come to the right place. This SF6 character guide will provide several tips about Zangief and how to play with him, his alternate costume, and his complete move list.
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Zangief Introduction
Introduced in the original Street Fighter 2, the Red Cyclone Zangief is a Russian wrestler well-known for having dangerous command grabs. You can end your opponent’s life with just a few grabs and good timing.
However, he’s not only good at that. Zangief has strong normals, some special moves that let him advance while avoiding projectiles (Double Lariat), and even a parry for some attacks (Tundra Storm).
Zangief Move List
Let’s see all the tools and resources that the Red Cyclone has apart for his multiple grabs. Here’s Zangie’s move list.
Unique Attacks
Move | Command | What It Does |
---|---|---|
Hellstab | Down Forward + Medium Punch | It’s a quick attack. |
Knee Hammer | Forward + Medium Kick | It’s a quick knee. |
Headbutt | Forward + Heavy Punch | It’s a strong attack. |
Cyclone Wheel Kick | Forward + Heavy Kick | It’s an overhead. |
Smetana Dropkick | Down Forward + Heavy Kick | A jumping kick. |
Flying Body Press | (In the air) Down + Heavy Punch | It’s an aerial slam. |
Flying Headbutt | (In neutral jump) Up + Heavy Punch | It’s an aerial headbutt. |
Machine Gun Chops | Medium Punch, Medium Punch, Medium Punch | It’s a series of strong hits. |
Power Stomps | Down, Down + Medium Kick, Medium Kick, Medium Kick | It’s a series of strong kicks. |
Special Moves
Move | Command | What It Does |
---|---|---|
Double Lariat | Two Punches | It’s a spin attack. |
Screw Piledriver | 360 + (Any) Punch | It’s a command grab. |
Borscht Dynamite | (In the air) 360 + (Any) Kick | It’s a command grab. |
Russian Suplex | (Near opponent) Half Circle Back + (Any) Kick | It’s a command grab. |
Siberian Express. | (Far from opponent) Half Circle Back + (Any) Kick | A run that ends with a grab. |
Tundra Storm | Down, Down + Heavy Kick | It’s a parry for specific attacks. |
Super Arts
Move | Command | What It Does |
---|---|---|
Aerial Russian Slam | Doble Quarter Circle Forward + (Any) Kick | It’s a jumping command grab. |
Cyclone Lariat | Doble Quarter Circle Forward + (Any) Punch | It’s a spinning attack that attracts the enemy and ends with a grab. The spinning part can be held down. |
Bolshoi Storm Buster | 360x2 + (Any) Punch | It’s a close-range command grab that unleashes a cinematic attack. |
Glossary of common fighting terms and Street Fighter 6 specific ones:
c. = Crouching.
LP = Light Punch.
MP = Medium Punch.
HP = Heavy Punch.
Px2 = Two Punches at the same time.
LK = Light Kick.
MK = Medium Kick.
HK = Heavy Kick.
Kx2 = Two Kicks at the same time.
360 = You need to hit Forward, Down, Back, and Up in a single motion input.
Dash = Forward, Forward.
QCF/QCB = Quarter Circle Forward or Back (Down, Down Forward, Forward/ Down, Down Back, Back).
DP = Dragon Punch (Forward, Down, Down Forward).
Half Circle Back/Forward = Forward, Down Forward, Down, Down Back, Back /Back, Down Back, Down, Down Forward, Forward).
DPa = Drive Parry.
DR = Drive Rush.
DI = Drive Impact.
Zangief Best Tips
As a grappler, your focus with Zangief should be to be near your rival and make them suffer with Screw Piledriver (360 + P), Borscht Dynamite (360 + K while in the air), and Russian Suplex (HCB + Kick). These moves deal incredible damage, and they can be even deadlier with their OD versions.
One cool way of making your grabs more efficient is to start using DR (from a DPa or just by canceling a normal) to quickly and surprisingly reduce the distance between you and the opponent and then go for the command grab.
If you’re a new player in fighting games or someone who hasn’t used grapplers, you might be wondering how to perform a 360 motion input. It might look pretty hard at first, as when you press Up, your character would normally jump. There are a couple of ways of solving this issue. One would be to perform any other attack and move and do the 360 motion before that attack ends. You can also jump and do the input, so you’ll be able to do the grab as soon as Zangief touches the ground.
However, it would be ideal to do this without depending on any other move, and you actually can do that. The thing is, if you press Back Up or Forward Up, that already counts as pressing Up. In other words, you can press Forward, Down Forward, Back, Down Back, Back, and Up Back and the attack button and the move will be performed.
You don’t know how to move between projectiles? Apart from jumping, using DPa, and blocking, you can use your Double Lariat (Px2), which is invulnerable to projectiles. Plus, it’s a great move for all your combos.
Zangief Alternate Costume
Zangief's Outfit 2, Classic Zangief, can be obtained after reaching level 100 Bond with him.
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